The mid-size truck market has been very busy over the past two years, with redesigned models from Nissan, Chevrolet/GMC, and Toyota. Now it is Ford’s turn with the Ranger. The last Ranger first arrived at Benna Ford as a 2019 model, but it has been a design used worldwide for several years. The new Ranger will also be sold around the world, but its design puts US interests and preferences first. Wider and Tougher Prioritizing the U.S. market resulted in a burlier model with several more inches in width and more muscular, squared-off dimensions. It much more closely resembles a smaller F-150. All 2024 Rangers will have the same five-passenger, four-door crew cab and five-foot (59.6-inch) bed. A key feature of the bed is that the wider rear track now enables your standard 4-foot wide plywood or drywall to fit flat on the bed floor within the wheelhouses, and this is an ability you won’t find in the Nissan, GM, or Toyota models. The tailgate now opens with a damped motion and features a torsion spring to ease closing. The Cab’s central locking mechanism also extends to the tailgate. An available deep and tall inset step just before the rear bumper on the side eases access to adjust things in the bed. All Turbo-charged Engine Lineup The Ranger was ahead of the game with its standard turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 engine, and you now see similarly sized turbocharged 4-cylinder engines becoming the standard across the category. The engine continues with the same power of 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque and remains paired to the 10-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the GM and Toyota models, a V6 upgrade is still available in the form of the F-150's EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6, which produces 315 horsepower and peak torque of 400 lb-ft. This powertrain will be available post-launch, and Ford has not yet specified it, but this will likely be tied to 4WD drivetrains. The maximum towing case for both models with either of these engines is 7,500 pounds. There will also be a Ford Ranger Raptor model for the first time in the U.S. It will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that is good for a class-leading 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The Raptor will also feature full-time 4WD, front and rear locking differentials, and 2.5-inch Fox Live valve dampers. Updated Suspension Models without the prehistoric moniker have their own updated suspensions. The geometry is largely the same, but the front upper and lower control arms are now aluminum for greater stiffness and lighter weight. In the rear, the dampers are moved outside the leaf springs, and the helper leaf spring is composite instead of steel. When combined with new tuning for the dampers and springs, the result is a smoother and more refined ride. All-New Cabin Naturally, the interior is fully redesigned. Anchoring the center of the dash is a vertical 12.4-inch touchscreen. Within the tall screen, smartphone mirroring from either Apple CarPlay or Android fills the top two-thirds of the screen, while the lower portion features permanent controls for climate and other controls. Physical controls for the climate remain just below. Allow-profile electronic shifters sit on the driver's side of the center console. Another new cabin feature is that the back seat folds flat when needed for additional in-cabin storage. The model line remains with XL, XLT, and Lariat trim levels, with a starting MSRP of $34,265 for the XL. The Tremor model goes away to be replaced by the Raptor, which will arrive after the launch of the rest of the model line. As of this writing, 2024 Rangers are just starting to make their way into the Benna Ford Inventory. Check our site for a model you may be interested in, or check out what’s here, and if you like what you see, we will find one that meets your specifications.
Close to 11,000 UAW workers contribute to building a Super Duty, with over 9,000 at the Kentucky plant and an additional 1,800 at the Ohio plant. The $700 million investments added 500 jobs to the Kentucky plant. As part of the quality improvement process, Production-ready models underwent exhaustive real-world road testing with a particular focus on high mileage tests to meet the demands of Ford Pro commercial customers. Ford also tripled the number of trucks used in trailer tow testing and nearly quadrupled the count for Built Ford Tough durability testing, providing additional quality data points compared to previous launches.“Never before have I seen teams come together like they have for this Super Duty launch”. Said Super Duty Chief Engineer, Andrew Kernahan. “We are looking to exceed our customers’ expectations with Super Duty and that requires making sure every employee feels empowered to speak up when there are issues.”Ford also greatly increased the number of quality checks along the assembly line. Once complete, every Super Duty is driven 25 miles by a Ford employee as an additional quality check to help identify issues before delivery.“We know Super Duty customers; they push their trucks to the limits,” said Kernahan, “There’s nothing that compares to putting vehicles out into the real world to see how they perform, so we tested Super Duty beyond its limits.”
The Super Duty is available with a choice of two gas or two diesel engines. The newest power plant is the 6.8-liter 2V DEVCT PFI Gas V8. This replacement for the previous flex-fuel engine produces 405 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. The 7.3-liter OHV PFI engine is the most powerful gas V8 in its class, with 430 horsepower and 485 lb-ft of torque. If greater torque is what you need, look to the two 6.7-liter turbo diesel V8s starting with the Power Stroke producing 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft of torque and topping out with the High Output Power Stroke producing a class-leading 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft. 
Listening to customers has led the Super-Duty to be Ford’s most connected truck ever, starting with being the first pickup in the U.S. with embedded 5G capability. The Qualcomm 5G modem can provide a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices to keep workers connected while on the job site. For those who convert their SuperDutys, the new Ford Pro Upfit Integration System is designed for customers to simplify upfits.“Whether it is mining, emergency response, utility services, or towing a boat, Super Duty is the tool for that gets the job done, and we know our customers are thrilled that it is coming,” said Cannis.The 2023 Ford Super Duty has not arrived at Benna Ford as of this writing, but we are all looking forward to when it does later this summer. If you are interested in the 2023 Super Duty, contact one of our Benna Ford Sales professionals for updated timing on their arrival.
